


To Hell and Back

by VasilisaTheAngel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Angst, Castiel/Dean - Freeform, Demon Dean Winchester, Destiel - Freeform, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Hurt Sam Winchester, M/M, Romance, SPN - Freeform, Smut, m/m - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-08
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-04 00:46:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1075074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VasilisaTheAngel/pseuds/VasilisaTheAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean was dead, he'd gone straight back to the pit and he wasn't coming back. So imagine Sam's surprise when finding his brother on one of his hunts, alive and human. Imagine how Castiel felt when he was told that his Hunter wasn't dead after all. But Dean wasn't human, not really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Death in the Family

Dean was dead, he had been killed during his last hunt. And there was nothing anyone could do to change that. Sam had been devastated, of course, where as Castiel had just gone very, unnaturally, quiet. But that had been months ago.  
Life went on, like it had since, as always, there were still monsters to hunt, demons to kill and tablets to translate. Even if said tablets had been all but forgotten about after all that had happened. Even if life hadn't gone on, not really. No one really admitted this though, and they especially didn't want to admit to just how much things had changed after Dean's death.

It started when Cas appeared inside the bunker, looking thoroughly heartbroken, and ended up moving in with Sam and Kevin. He was a sad sight, spending most of his time either standing or wandering around aimlessly or sitting in Dean's old room and staring off into space. He rarely spoke, and when he did he seemed to be either angry or out of it, which just made things all the worse. Sam didn't know what to do apart from just leaving the angel too it, knowing full well about the angel and his brother's “profound bond” as Cas put it.

Speaking of Sam, he seemed to through himself into hunts more, much like he did after his brother had first gone to hell. He didn't look into ways to bring the older Winchester back though, not because he didn't want him back, no. More because any of the efforts he made last time never worked; well, that and the fact that he had no clue where Dean had gone this time around. There was a chance that he was in Heaven and Sam didn't feel like he could bring him back if that were the case. That left Kevin, trying his damn hardest to find the older Winchester.

Out of the three of them, Kevin was probably fairing the best. He was probably the most level headed at this time and so, under Sam's request, spent most his time helping either helping with hunts or crawling through the Men of Letter's archives to see if there was any way to locate a person after they had died. He preferred the bunker and knew that he probably wasn't the best help on a hunt, but he was learning. Unfortunately he'd still hadn't found anything useful in his searches.

Now, they would have started trying to interrogate demons, but that leads into the other big change. The shocking lack of demon activity since Dean's death. Considering just how often Sam was having to deal with demons before, now they were just as uncommon as the dragons, which was- definitely saying something. Sam had contacted Garth to see how many other Hunters had had demon problems. The answer was none.

He was yet to see if this was a good thing or not.


	2. Jenny Green-tooth

The day started out normally, or as normal as it could be. Castiel was stood in the main room of the bunker, staring at the ceiling silently with a look on his face that could only be described as the 'someone shot my puppy' look. Sam was getting ready to go work a case, something to do with a series of children found drowned in the lake at the Andover Central Park, and was making sure that the Impala was fully kitted out, especially since he wasn't certain what kind of thing he would be hunting yet. Kevin was holed away in the archives, still looking for something they could use for their current 'predicament' and still yet to find anything.

Cas was thinking about nothing in particular or, at least, he didn't think he was thinking about anything in particular. Maybe he was actually thinking about everything. Maybe it was nothing. Most likely, he would guess he was probably thinking about, or considering, the fact that everyone seemed so busy apart from him. He did nothing.

He wanted to do something to help, he really did, but he couldn't. Well, it wasn't that he couldn't, it was more that he felt he couldn't do enough. The reason for this was, of course, what had happened to his Hunter. It was Castiel's understanding that if he had been there, if he had been with Dean at the time, then everything would have been different. He would have healed him and everything would have been fine.

But he hadn't been there and nothing was fine and now he worried every time Sam went on a hunt. For all he knew, something could go wrong and Sam could get seriously hurt and there would be nothing he could do. He cared for the brother's deeply and he felt as if he'd failed them for not being there to help Dean so he had to make sure same was okay so as not to fail them again, especially as he knew he'd be failing his Hunter if he couldn't protect Sam like Dean had while he was alive.

Despite this, the angel had been feeling too overwhelmed, too devastated, to be much help at all. He didn't go on hunts (not that he was certain Sam would want him to anyway since that was his way of dealing with things) and when Sam was hunting, the easiest way to check on him was to go inside his dreams or incessantly ring him if he was worried. Apart from that, the two didn't really talk much.

*~*~*~*~*

Sam was just gathering the last couple of things he felt he needed to take with him on the case when he saw the look that Cas was giving him as he walked through the Bunker.  
“Be careful,” the angel said monotonously, but both of then knew it was really more of a 'don't go'.  
“I always am,” The moose of a man replied and, although Castiel when quiet again, they could both knew he would have said 'Dean said that too'. They had practically the same conversation every time Same left and, once he got back, the angel would always check him over for any and all injuries. The taller man sighed as he left the Bunker, climbing into the empty Impala and dropping his back into the empty seat next to him before shutting the door and driving off.

*~*~*~*~*

The drive took a little over three hours, but the closest motel was a good hour away with no traffic. Sam went straight to the lake where the drownings had happened and wasn't overly surprised to see that no one was there. It had surprised him that families still went to the lake after the second drowning, let alone the first, but now there had been five in total, people seemed to realize that they shouldn't be down here. 

The man wandered around the lake side, looking to see if there were any signs of what thing he would be dealing with here. There was nothing, apart from the calm ripples on the lake. Sam would guess that he was either dealing with a spirit or some water-dwelling monster. When he got back to the motel, he would have to look for any previous drownings to see if he what he could rule out. If it was some kind of lake monster, he would expect it to be a Kelpie or a Jenny Green-tooth as both were known in folklore for luring and drowning people. He'd be more leaning towards the latter since he'd found that, from past experience, Kelpies didn't normally go for children as they were 'too easy' to kill so drowning one was less of a big deal.   
And they were all about showing off how many humans they killed to other's of their kind.

When Sam was young, him and Dean had met a Kelpie that their dad had been hunting, this one had been a female and had liked to take on human form from time to time. Since they were only children, they had gone to the lake they thought she lived in one day to try and talk to her. She was there and when they first saw her, she was in her natural form; that of a boney, water-logged horse with a fish's tail. However, she quickly changed to her human form after they said they just wanted to talk.  
It turned out that she had known straight away that they were the sons of a hunter, because their smell or something, and had though they were sent to lure her out of her lake, making her a far easier kill than if she had been in the water. Dean had then asked why she'd killed so many people and the Kelpie just smiled at him for a while before replying.  
“Because they deserved it, of course.”

Her answer had chilled the boys. They were used to monsters killing people for food but not because 'they deserved it'. Being the curious children they were, they probed deeper and found that, although many Kelpie's killed just for the fun of it, this one had tried to avoid it at all costs since she knew many others of her kind who had been killed by hunters. It was only after she had made that lake her home had she realized how much some humans disrespected it and she found that that angered her. It was her home, not theirs, so what right did they have to ruin it?

The Kelpie told them that she was only killing people that disrespected her home and whether she drowned them or beat them to death didn't really matter to her so long as they got what they deserved. She did tell them that children weren't so bad, since they didn't know any better, but it still scared them. They'd never gotten close enough to a monster to talk to it before and it disturbed Sam a lot.

They didn't go back to that lake again after talking to the Kelpie and a couple of day after, their dad had told them to pack their stuff up because they were hitting the road again. Sam never found out whether he'd killed the Kelpie or not.

Since then, they had encountered a couple more Kelpies and noticed that, these too, didn't seem to care about children. One of them, before the Winchesters stabbed it, seemed to recognise the brothers an claimed it was their fault that it's sister was dead. It also got in a bit of a rant about how dumb and despicable humans were and how easy and fun they were to drown. It also claimed that the children were easy, too easy even, so there was no fun in that.

Yes, Sam felt that the drownings being caused by a Kelpie was definitely currently the least likely answer.

 

On his way back to the Impala, Sam noticed a couple of police cars parked close to the lake. He also noticed the angry look that the drivers of these cars were giving him as he walked past.  
“Excuse me, civilians aren't supposed to be down here,” one of the cops called out to him. Sam put a hand in his pocket, feeling so glad that he'd remembered to bring one of his many F.B.I badges as he pulled it out and showed it to the cops when he got close enough.  
“I think you'll find the I'm not a civilian,” the police man took a quick look at the badge before apologising quickly.  
“Oh, sorry sir, we didn't know that you'd be getting involved with this case.”  
“Yes, well, it's quite a big deal. People don't normally just drown,”  
“Yes, of course. Well, we'll let you get on your way then,”

Sam gave the men a nod before walking to the Impala and climbing in, sighing deeply as he did so. It was late-after noon and all he wanted to do now was go to the motel and go to sleep. But he had research to do, and should probably text Cas to stop him from worrying, especially since the angel had seemed even more off than usual that morning, also he should probably get something to eat as well. He'd not eaten anything yet and was starting to feel awfully hungry. Luckily, it wasn't a long drive to the motel and he's spotted a diner close to it on his way down so he could get a something to eat and then go book a room.

*~*~*~*~*

The diner was one of those stereotypical, 80's style ones with big neon lights and old posters littering the walls. Sam ordered a coffee and a plate of pancakes, he didn't normally eat sweet food but right now he couldn't find it in himself to care. The man sat down in one of the booths, dumping his bag down next to him before pulling out his laptop and scouring for an internet connection. The diner had free internet, thank god, so he could at least make a start on looking into local deaths near the lakes. Then hopefully he'd have less to do later.

By the time his coffee and pancakes came, he'd already gotten through quite a lot of the newspaper articles that had highlighted deaths but so far hadn't found anything. He opened another tab on his browser when he saw the waitress walk over. She handed him his order without so much as a word, so much for services then. He closed the lid of the laptop, putting it back into his bag and tucked into his food.

He would never get used to this; sitting in a diner alone on a case, without the company of his brother. Without Dean's constant wise cracks and comments about his 'rabbit food'. It was bad the first time, when Dean had sold his soul to save him, but this time around it felt so much worse. Maybe it was because it was the hunt that killed Dean, not a demon, not the apocalypse. Just a normal, everyday, hunt.

Sam was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the woman that had sat down opposite him until she started to talk.  
“You know, it's kinda rude not to say hi,” she said as Sam looked up. The woman had long, muddy brown hair, bright green eyes and pale skin that seemed to have a bit of a greenish tinge to it. She was tall, very tall, and seemed to carry her self with a sense of authority and power, like she could destroy you on a whim.  
“Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there,”  
“So I gathered. So, Mr. Tall, dark and mopey, do I get a name?” She said as she brushed a lock of hair out of her face. Sam noticed just how boney the woman's hands were, not only that but, with the length of her nails, they looked awfully like claws  
“Sam, just Sam.”  
“Well then, Just Sam, I'm Ginny and I would really love to get to know you,” she winked and Sam looked away. There was something about this woman that he really didn't like.

The conversation continued with Ginny making comments every so often while Sam scarfed down his pancakes, really wishing that she would just leave.  
“Woah, slow down there big boy, you might inhale the plate,” she laughed as he finished them off. The man grabbed his bag, took a mouthful of coffee and quickly went to leave.  
“Going so soon hon? Without even telling me where you're staying?” The woman called after him just as he exited the diner.

*~*~*~*~*

Over the next few days, Sam had managed to eliminate the vengeful spirit theory, leaving him with the decision that he was dealing with a Jenny Green-tooth. The only problem was now that he'd never encountered one before, since they mainly lived in England, so wasn't really sure how to deal with one. However, he had heard other Hunters talking about them before and, from this, heard that the best way to get rid of one was a good 'ole fashioned stabbing. But that still left the man with the problem of how to lure the green-tooth and if, like a Kelpie, it could take on a human form and, if so, how he would be able to find it.

From the research he had done, Sam had found out that a Green-tooth looked quite a lot like how mermaids were envisioned. But, of course, they wouldn't look like the typical fairy-tale mermaid, not, they were supposedly much more scaly, fish-like and nightmareish than the stereotypical mermaid. Unfortunately, after being back down to the lake several times both with the police officers and by himself, Sam hadn't seen much to indicate a child-murdering monster living there. One this he had seen a lot of though, was Ginny.

He'd seen the strange woman nearly everywhere and swore that she was following him. Several times when he was looking around the lake, he would see her hanging around, trying not to be spotted by the police. They had seen her a couple of times, but she seemed to vanish when they went to find her and tell her to leave. Now Sam wasn't sure if a Green-tooth could take on human form, but if it could, he was damn sure that this Ginny was one.

She had this certain vibe around her that was unsetteling to say the least. Not only that but she always seemed to be around him, sometimes talking, but mostly just watching; like she was waiting for him to attack and wanted to know all his moves before he could. Also, her name was ridiculously close to Jenny which, considering that it was a Green-tooth he was hunting, was just way to obvious.

Anyway, Sam knew he would have to act soon, whether that be interorgating and, if his suspicions where right, killing her or scoping out the lake 24/7 until something happened. Especially now since the police, not finding reason to keep then away, were letting people back to the lake and it was already swarming. He needed to head down and make sure that no one else ended up dead.

 

Sam was on his way down to the lake when he ran into Ginny again. Well, she was stood on a street waiting for him, waving like a mad woman and asking for a lift. The man sighed deeply, not really wanting to have to deal with her but at the same time, knowing that he would need to sooner or later. Anyway, he let her in and she sat in the passenger seat without so much as a word.

They drove in silence for what seemed like an eternity when, in actual fact, it was only about 20 minutes. It was only as they grew close to the park and the lake that Ginny said something.  
“You should just leave now you know,” her voice was cold, much colder than the day he'd first met her. “It would be better for both of us if you just left now and didn't come back.”  
“And why would that be?” He asked, curious as to why she was suddenly coming out with this.  
“Because I just want to go home.”

So Sam was right; Ginny was the Jenny Green-tooth. But why was she telling him this now?  
“Look, I know you're probably gonna kill me either way but what if I make you a deal?” So that's what it was about, she was scared of death. To be honest, Sam probably would be as well if her were in her position if Dean's account of Purgatory had been true (which he in no way thought they weren't).  
“What are the conditions of this deal?” He asked the woman, or should he say creature?  
“You leave now, leaving me here alive, and I never kill another child again,” she said with a nod.  
“Do you really think that I can do that? There are five children dead and god knows if there's any more. I can't leave today in good consious without you dead.”

Ginny sighed, she had probably been expecting this. Hearing how she was talking now though, Sam did feel sorry for her but at the same time it was his job to get rid of her. She had killed people, worse than that, she had killed children and, as he had said: the Winchester couldn't, in good conscious, let her live.  
“How about you give me a chance? We both go to that lake and you give me a day to prove that I won't kill anymore,” she was starting to sound more desperate.  
“I can't take that risk, you-,”  
“I'm different when I'm in my element. I'm a lot less, in control. I know for a fact that this deal wont matter to me at all when I'm back home so if I can still resist the urge, can you please just let me go?”  
“Okay.”

Sam knew that that was a complete lie, he would have to kill her either way. He couldn't risk her killing again. He would feel like a rat for it but he knew what had to be done. For now though, he would let her believe what she wanted to belive.

The two got out of the car and slowly walked down to the lake, once again, not saying a word. They found a more secluded part for Ginny to dive in where, hopefully, no one would see her. The woman jumped into the water the second she could, sinking below it's surface and swimming under the waves. Sam could see what the woman's flesh started to break way to let a layer of scales through, he would see how her legs seemed to fuse together and how she seemed so much more relaxed in the water.

Just as the tall man was thinking, the creature's head broke the surface of the waves. Her hair hung in wet clumps, her eyes were all black and seemed almost double the size and the scales of her face seemed to stretch into fins where her ears would be.  
“There you go then,” Sam said, “show me you can go without killing.” The creature nodded and sunk back into the water as the man started to walk around the edge of the lake, back to where the masses of people where.

*~*~*~*~*

Several hours had passed since Ginny had gone back into the water and so far, so good. Sam had been watching closely, consentrating his damn hardest to make he could tell the second that anything happened but with so many people around, and so much noise, he found he'd get jumpy at the slightest high-pitch giggle. The only problem was, after hours of standing guard, he was getting used to the noise so, when he first heard it, he didn't realize that there was a child screaming for help.

The first scream didn't sound like it was one of fear, it just sounded like children playing. It was the second scream that told the Winchester that something was wrong. Sam ran towards the lakeside, pushing through the crush of people and trying to get to the terrified kid. He was about to jump in the water and, before he did, noticed the child being pulled to the far side where Ginny had first dived in. He was fighting to stay above water and, with every breath he got, was screaming loudly.

Sam lept in, quickly swimming towards the drowing child. He tried to reach out for him, but each time he got close, suddenly the boy would be drug further away. He dove under the water to try and fight the Green-tooth away but was met with sharp teeth and slippery scales that were neat impossible to get a grip on.

With some stroke of luck, he managed to pull the boy, now half-unconcious and sobbing, away from the monster, holding him tightly. They rose to the surface, Sam thanking god that the Green-tooth had let go of the child. He wasn't sure if she has been distracted or what but he was glad either way. Well, that was until he saw what had disrtacted her.

Ginny was facing up to a man, sharp teeth bared and hand clawing at the air, trying to get to him. The man pulled out a knife, stabbing the creature though the head and killing her instantly. He pulled the knife away, pushing the creature's corpse off of it with his foot and that was when Sam got a look at the man's face. If there was even a sliver of doubt as to who this man was, it had been banished. Sam, still holding onto the boy, couldn't quite believe what he was seeing but couldn't bring himself to doubt it either.  
“Dean.”


End file.
